"Having used Dr. Rooney's learning strategies for many years, I can affirm their high-yield effectiveness. Best of all, students enjoy this 'take charge' approach to their own learning."—Rebecca H. Aldred, Reading Consultant and Private TutorIvy Creek School, Charlottesville, VA

"A gate barring success often needs but the right key. This book provides the keys to unlock the knowledge of how to learn for those who have always possessed the ability to learn."—G. Emerson Dickman, Immediate Past PresidentThe International Dyslexia Association

Give struggling students the study skills they need to achieve across the curriculum!

Knowing how to learn and study is an important part of the learning process and can make the difference between failure and success in school. This book offers specific techniques that are research-proven to result in significantly improved classroom grades for all struggling students, including those with attention problems, learning disabilities, and underachievement issues.

Strategies for Learningoffers both general and special education secondary teachers a collection of field-tested learning strategies to help struggling students improve cross-curricular skills in areas that include vocabulary, reading, spelling, writing, math, word problems, grammar, foreign language, note taking, time management, and organization. Karen Rooney, Ph.D., draws on more than 25 years of practice to provide concrete, user-friendly strategies that help teachers to:

Engage students in the learning process

Teach a set of skills that are effective for all content areas

Improve motivation, increase comprehension, and foster confidence

Offer intense, explicit, and reiterative systems to help students "learn how to learn"

Work with whole classes or individuals

Without the need for time-intensive lesson planning, these strategies can be implemented immediately to help struggling students become independent, motivated, lifelong learners.

Practice-Test Strategy for Math, Foreign Language, and English Grammar

Question Strategies

Test-Taking Vocabulary

After-the-Test Strategy

Part VI. Organization, Time Management, and Solving Problems

16. Organization

Notebook Organization: Self-Containted Notebook

Backpack Organization

Self-Monitoring Strategies

Self-Graphing of Grades or Performance

Individualized Homework Assignment Planner

Strategies for Following Directions

17. Time Management

Sunday-Night Planning Overview

Homework, Activities, and Exam Review for a Semester

Time Management of Weekly Homework

Other Examples

18. Problem Solving

Wheels for Problem Solving

Wheels for Feelings

19. Conclusion

Resources

A. How to Help Students Choose an Appropriate Strategy

B. List of Well-Known Literacy Remediation Programs

C. List of Helpful Special Education Resources for Teachers

D. Glossary

Index

"A gate barring success often needs but the right key. This book provides keys to unlock the learning for those who always possessed the ability to learn. The knowledge, instinct, dedication, and passion of Karen Rooney gives a special clarity and power to her instructional recommendations. I wish my teachers had this book when I was in school."

G. Emerson Dickman, Immediate Past President

The International Dyslexia Association

"A practical reference, this book adds to teachers' toolboxes of useful learning strategies. All students, whether or not they have learning disabilities, benefit from practicing how to learn!"

Patricia W. Newhall, Associate Director

Landmark School Outreach Program, Prides Crossing, MA

"Easy-to-implement strategies to successfully develop and maximize learning for all students."

Loukea Kovanis-Wilson, Chemistry Instructor

Clarkston High School, MI

"Contains proven, practical, and explicit strategies that secondary students with learning disabilities can use to become independent and motivated learners. Wedding years of clinical experience with the most up-to-date research, Rooney provides teachers with evidence-based techniques they can use with their most difficult-to-teach students."

Daniel P. Hallahan, Charles S. Robb Professor of Education

University of Virginia

"Having used Rooney's learning strategies for many years, I can affirm their high-yield effectiveness. Best of all, students enjoy this 'take charge' approach to their own learning. The strategies are logical, concise, and excellent for students to achieve improved understanding, retention, and memory retrieval for concepts. This book is a must for teachers who want to help their students become independent, self-confident, and successful learners."

Rebecca H. Aldred, Reading Consultant and Private Tutor

Ivy Creek School, Charlottesville, VA

"Karen Rooney's study techniques had a very profound impact on my academic performance. As a ninth- and tenth-grade student at a very competitive and academically rigorous private school, I studied long and hard to keep up with my peers, only to come up with mediocre results. After two years of hard work and little to show for it, I was discouraged and frustrated. My parents made an appointment with Dr. Rooney, who did diagnostic testing. Based on these tests and an understanding of my particular style of learning, Dr. Rooney taught me the techniques that would maximize the time I was putting into my studies. The results were nothing short of miraculous. Through Dr. Rooney's techniques, I was able to tackle more complex information while significantly increasing my comprehension. My grades and test scores improved dramatically, and I gained admission to every college where I applied. Not that I didn't have to continue to work hard, but Dr. Rooney gave me the tools that allowed me to leverage that hard work in a much more productive and efficient manner. Ultimately, Dr. Rooney taught me how to learn, and I strongly recommend her teaching strategies for every struggling student."

Emily K. Bowles, Student

University of Virginia

"Dr. Rooney, you first put me on the road to success with the study skills you taught me. How they have paid off! Thank you."